A man who allegedly assaulted a naked man with a sjambok and bricks on Saturday, in an incident which was captured on video and went viral on social media platforms, appeared in the Taung magistrate's court in North West on Tuesday.

He has been charged with attempted murder.

North West Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Sello Kwena has warned the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

The victim in the incident was accused of stock theft. He is currently in hospital.

After becoming aware of the incident in Lokaleng village, police traced the accused, who handed himself over on Sunday.

The case against the accused, Vuyisile Godhlo, 47, was postponed until Wednesday for a bail application. He will remain in custody.

At the time of his arrest, Godhlo was out on warning and was due to appear in court in July after he allegedly assaulted another man last month in the same village and in the same way he allegedly assaulted the latest victim.